In Pennsylvania high school track and field, there are only two classifications: 2A and 3A. Our Avonworth/Northgate co-op program now competes at the highest class; 3A. It's a tall order to qualify for WPIAL Championships, as they only take the top 24 in each event. From there, medaling (top 8) is even harder. And qualifying for states? That’s reserved for the very best of the best. However, Our kids still brought the thunder to the biggest schools in western PA!

The boys 4x100m relay, with members Zion Ward and Savian Baptiste, came into the meet seeded 11th and proceeded to grab 6th place medals and broke a 10 year-old program record! Their time came extremely close to the state qualifying standard, missing by just 0.05 seconds. Still, the performance marked a major accomplishment on the biggest stage.

In the girls 4x400m relay, Hope Stiteler and her teammates arrived seeded 21st—well outside medal range. But that didn’t stop them. They finished 8th overall, claiming a spot on the podium and logging the 7th fastest time in program history. Unfortunately, they did not hit the state qualifying standard.

The last event of the day was the boys 4x400m relay. Seeded 12th, the boys relay squad; Tyler Harold, Will Smith and Savian Baptiste needed not only a top 8 finish, but also to hit the state qualifying standard of 3:24.03 in order to punch their tickets to states. To do it, they’d have to shave nearly two seconds off the program record and because of their seed, they would not be able to battle in the same heat against the top 8 seeds.

Nonetheless, the boys dominated their heat and finished in 6th place with a time of 3:23.47 and a ticket to the PIAA State Championships. Only powerhouse programs like Butler, Moon, Penn Trafford, Norwin and North Allegheny placed higher schools with far larger athlete pools.

 

The Northgate School District is proud to announce Qualisha Zyhier as the new principal of Bellevue Elementary School, effective July 1, 2025.

Ms. Zyhier comes to us from Pittsburgh Public Schools, where she currently serves as principal of Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5. With nearly 20 years of experience in education and school leadership, she brings a deep commitment to student success, which aligns perfectly with our vision: “Students First and Foremost.”

Since 2021, Ms. Zyhier has served as an elementary principal in Pittsburgh. Prior to her leadership at Dilworth, she was the assistant principal at Pittsburgh Colfax K-8. Before moving to Pittsburgh, she spent 14 years in Virginia, including four years as an assistant principal in both Chesterfield County Public Schools and Richmond Public Schools.

Ms. Zyhier began her educational career as a long-term substitute in Henrico County Public Schools. Over the course of 10 years, she held several roles there, including special education teacher, Middle School International Baccalaureate science teacher, girls basketball coach and Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) coach.

"My commitment to the philosophy of 'Maslow’s before Bloom’s' has consistently driven both academic achievement and social-emotional growth throughout my career,” Zyhier said. “I firmly believe that joy is the catalyst for success and am excited to join the Bellevue community, eager to collaborate with staff and build upon the strong foundation laid by my predecessor, Dr. Amick. Passionate about sparking joy in learning, I am dedicated to fostering collaborative, culturally rich environments that honor, elevate, and celebrate the unique brilliance of every child."

She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Central Connecticut State University, Master of Arts in School Principalship from Central Michigan University and is currently working to get her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Pittsburgh.

Please join us in extending a warm Northgate welcome to Ms. Zyhier as she brings her experience and leadership in education to Bellevue Elementary and our entire Northgate community.

Northgate High School students will be taking the PA Keystone Exams beginning on Monday, May 12. The schedule for the exams is:

Algebra - Monday and Tuesday May 12 and 13

Literature - Wednesday and Thursday May 14 and 15

Biology - Wednesday and Thursday May 21 and 22

All students and parents have been notified of the specific exams the student is scheduled to take. 

Northgate High School will operate on a Two-Hour delay schedule on test days.  Students scheduled to test are expected to report to school on their test days by 8:00 a.m. and students not scheduled to test are to report at 10:00 a.m.

Middle School students will follow a regular schedule and should report to school at 8:00 a.m.

We appreciate your cooperation as we strive to create a supportive environment for our students as they complete the required State exams.

The Avalon Kindness Club presents Entrepreneur Night! Join us Tuesday, May 13, 2025, from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. at Avalon Elementary. Our students will be selling a variety of creative, handmade items priced between $1.00 and $5.00. We hope to see you there!

Students from Mrs. Tusick’s Entrepreneurship class showcased their strong business skills at the recent Startable Pitch Competition, organized by Innovation Works, with two student teams earning top honors and a combined total of $3,000 in cash prizes.

Team Surge, comprised of Bayleigh Hooper, Kaden Kemp, and Abby Trimble, stood out with their innovative concept and polished presentation. The team captured 1st place in Innovation, 2nd place in Design, and 2nd place in Presentation, earning a total of $2,000 in prizes. Their performance demonstrated a strong blend of creativity, technical skill, and effective communication.

Also representing the class was Team L&N Health, made up of Nia Townsel and Lenniyah Davis, who earned the prestigious Trailblazer Award, along with $1,000 in cash prizes. This award recognized their forward-thinking approach and commitment to solving real-world problems in the health and wellness space.

The competition, part of Innovation Works’ Startable program, empowers young entrepreneurs to bring their business ideas to life through mentorship, workshops, and pitch opportunities. The success of both teams is a testament to the dedication of the students and the support of Mrs. Tusick’s entrepreneurship curriculum.

Congratulations to all the students who competed, and especially to Teams Surge and L&N Health, for their outstanding achievements and entrepreneurial spirit!

Congratulations to our outstanding A.W. Beattie students on their achievements at the Pennsylvania SkillsUSA and FCCLA competitions.

Cassidy Auth earned a gold medal in the Promotional Bulletin Board category and will advance to the national SkillsUSA competition this June in Atlanta, Georgia.

Anisten Jackson received a silver medal in Extemporaneous Speaking.

A.W. Beattie students were also awarded three of the four statewide Rex Wright Memorial Scholarships, presented by the PA Youth Foundation. These scholarships range from $750 to $1,500. We’re proud to share that Cassidy Auth is one of the recipients.

FCCLA students had a strong showing as well, earning six state championships. Congratulations to all participants, including Northgate's Juliana Shane, who earned first place in Baking and Pastry.

We are proud of all our students for their hard work, dedication and success at the state level. Well done!

On April 8th, students from Bellevue and Avalon Elementaries had the opportunity to attend the Children’s Choice Awards at Commonwealth Charter Academy. This was an unforgettable experience for all students involved. They had the exciting opportunity to compete in a fun book competition against students from other schools, showing off their reading knowledge and teamwork skills.

A highlight of the day was an inspiring talk by the renowned author Matthew Holm, who shared insights from his writing journey and offered valuable advice to the young readers. The event concluded with a dance party and sing-along with Josh and Gab, where students celebrated their achievements and had a blast.

Between the competition, meeting fellow book lovers and enjoying the lively atmosphere, the students had a fantastic time celebrating their love of books!